On the Edge

  There was so much to do. Filler footage. Sound track selection. She could use some of her stock footage of Santa Monica exterior shots, blended with some of Blue taking phone calls or just standing and looking like a modern day Greek god in his designer clothes. She could look at film of the cocky Blue all day.

  Who was she kidding? She could look at film of the vulnerable Blue all day, too. If she had any.

  “Excuse me, miss? I ordered a vodka martini, not a cosmopolitan.” The suited man had drank more than half of the wrong drink, so he must have liked something about it.

  She apologized and took his drink back to the bar, ordering him a vodka martini. She checked her pad, but she’d written down a cosmopolitan. She looked up and saw the jerk heading for the exit. A quick glance at the table and she knew he’d stiffed her on the bill. Just what she needed.

  “Why do you always trust people?” the bartender, Paul, asked, picking up the phone to dial security.

  “This is Beverly Hills. Who stiffs a tab in Beverly Hills?”

  “Maddy, people are people. It doesn’t matter if they come from the valley or the shore. There are bad ones in every bunch.”

  “I thought I recognized you.” Kaya’s sharp voice penetrated the noise in the bar and drew Maddy’s gaze to spiky crimson hair framing blazing dark eyes. Screw loose, I-can-do-what-I-want eyes. “So this is where you found us.”

  A myriad of emotions plunged like rapid-fire cannonballs in Maddy’s gut. Surprise. Apprehension. Fear. L.A. had a history of crazies who’d gutted rivals and little people on their scramble to the top.

  Maddy gripped the bar. “What can I do for you, Kaya?”

  “Are you legitimate?” Kaya took in Maddy’s white blouse and black skirt in distaste.

  She’d take distaste over gutting any day. “I’m a filmmaker. Between jobs right now.”

  Kaya searched the bar. “I expected Blue to be here, even though I know he’s taking a client out tonight.”

  “How do you know that?” Maddy’s toes clenched in her flats, trying to hold her ground.

  Kaya’s stare was cold enough to freeze Maddy’s blood. “Let’s be clear. We aren’t accepting any more members in our club.”

  Maddy raised her hands. “My interest in Blue is as a reality show subject. Nothing more.” God willing, she’d hang onto that belief. If Blue didn’t smile at her. Or reveal his sensitive side to her. Or look at her with those pained, worried eyes.

  “Keep it that way.” Kaya smiled, fleeting and feral. “I can bring lots of fans to your show or…”

  Maddy didn’t want to ask, certain the answer would keep her up at night, and not in a good way. But she couldn’t resist. “Or what?”

  “Or I can make your life a living nightmare.” And then Kaya left, crimson hair occasionally visible in the crowd like Lucifer’s horns would be before blending into the flames of hell in some horror movie.

  This must be how Blue felt after the first few Avenger pranks – violated, jumpy, threatened.

  “Hey, are you okay?” Paul touched Maddy’s hand, startling her. “Don’t worry about that guy. Security got him.”

  “Yes…No…I…” Maddy wiped her damp palms on her skirt. She had one weapon Blue didn’t have – a camera. “I need to call security.” Because if Kaya was caught on the hotel’s security cameras, Maddy was going to get a copy. For her protection. And possibly, for use in the reality show.

  Maddy got off work early and woke up Vera, who’d fallen asleep at the kitchen table on the keyboard of her laptop. “Tax season ended months ago. What’s keeping you up so late?”

  Vera’s long hair was tousled and her reading glasses twisted on her face. She adjusted them. “We’re being audited. Apparently some extra we placed on a movie didn’t file taxes, which sent the ball rolling uphill to me.”

  “That sucks.”

  “How was your shift?”

  “The usual. Drunks. Sex for sale. Kaya Anika threatening to get me if I slept with Blue.”

  Vera snapped off a yawn. “Are you serious?”

  Maddy nodded.

  “Are you scared?”

  Maddy nodded.

  “Did you call the cops?”

  “No.” Maddy took the DVD security had given her out of her purse and tucked it safely in her desk drawer. “According to security, she doesn’t have a record. She’s never physically hurt anyone. Even her harassment of Blue has been relatively harmless.”

  Vera reached for Maddy’s hand. “But you said she scared you.”

  She squeezed Vera’s hand, then let her go. “Yes, but I think if it came to a choice between me and the show, she wouldn’t ruin the show. Her wanting a career in Hollywood and all.” And Maddy having a little insurance against Kaya, thanks to hotel security. Not that it was enough to stop the shiver that periodically creepy-crawled up her spine.

  “How comforting,” Vera deadpanned. “I’m going to make coffee. Want some?”

  “Please. I want to work on the film I shot today.” Maddy powered up her laptop. “You have to see the footage of Blue Rule. He’s amazing. And the women he dated are like Kim Kardashian without the cute and friendly. I haven’t heard so much about sex since I interned on that porn movie set.”

  Maddy looked down at the black skirt that covered her knees and white button down that showed no cleavage, thinking about what Blue had said to her earlier when he’d practically plastered her to the office door, trying to prove that he was more powerful than she was. “Vera, do you think I’m closed off?”

  “In what way?”

  “To men.”

  “Definitely. There was that idiot in college who only dated you so you’d write his term papers. And Dave – ” They both added together, “The Dick.” And then they both laughed, but Maddy’s laughter sounded sad.

  Vera recovered first. “Dave hurt you, not just by stealing your idea, but by sleeping with you when he didn’t care about you.”

  “Maybe he was hoping he’d fall in love with me.”

  “Guys don’t set out to fall in love. His career needed you, and when that didn’t rocket him to success he decided to cut ties. People craving power always need a fall guy when things go south.” Vera looked at her column of numbers. “Let’s just hope I’m not the fall guy. Junior executives always get the blame.”

  “You won’t be.” Maddy sat at her desk and gazed at her vision board. She’d clipped words and pictures, posting them above her desk to symbolize what she wanted to do with her life. A big number in the corner magnetized her gaze: twenty-seven. She’d promised her parents that she’d quit this crazy business if she hadn’t made it by the time she turned twenty-seven. Her birthday was in four months. She wanted her parents to be happy, but she’d do anything to avoid working in a dry cleaning shop the rest of her life.

  Her laptop made welcome noises. Maddy began loading the day’s film.

  It wasn’t until the second time she watched Blue’s insights that Maddy realized what had been bothering her. Blue made all his assessments without so much as citing one Rule of Attraction.

  Chapter 14

  “Hold up.” The bouncer at the Sky Bar blocked Blue’s entry.

  “I can’t believe I’m going to the Sky Bar,” Ulani whispered in Blue’s ear. She was pressing as close as Mr. J did when he got nervous. “They never let me in.”

  Because you had to be somebody to get in and Ulani was…well, she wasn’t someone who even looked like she was somebody. But the Sky Bar was notorious for its diversity of high powered clientele. If you weren’t here to make a deal, you were looking to see and be seen. It was the perfect smorgasbord to find Ulani a man.

  After the day he’d had, Blue needed a win tonight. Maddy and her spot-on insights. His exes and their off-base insights. Cora’s misguided good intentions that had made the Playboy Avengers possible.

  Blue produced a twenty for the doorman. He hadn’t been here since the Avengers had started targeting him. He was behind in his bouncer dues, but he ho
ped a twenty would cover it. “Here you go.”

  The bouncer put his arm up again and sent a look heavenward. Or at least up in Ulani’s direction since the six-foot-three wrestler had chosen to wear six-inch purple heels along with a short, purple spandex dress and purple glitter eye makeup. If that wasn’t enough of a visual magnet, Ulani’s jet black hair was in long, purple-beaded cornrows that clanked on her shoulder blades.

  “I’ll vouch for her.” Blue looked along the line of people waiting to get in and saw two average Joe’s drooling over Ulani. Blue peeled off another twenty and pointed. “And those two.”

  “Don’t low ball me now,” the bouncer grumbled.

  Blue gave him another forty.

  The bouncer’s smile spread almost as wide as his biceps.

  “That’s so nice of you to pay for those guys.” Ulani took Blue’s arm. “I know what it’s like to stand out here forever while everyone else goes in.”

  Blue had an ulterior motive. He wanted to find someone for Ulani to fall in love with. He waited for the guys to make it to the front of the line and be let through.

  “It’s the Hawaiian Princess,” one of the Joes said reverently when they squeezed their way to Blue and Ulani.

  So this is how dorks get laid.

  With a horrified look in her purple rimmed eyes, Ulani backed up and whispered, “They recognize me.”

  Or not.

  “They don’t just recognize you,” Blue said. “They worship you. Isn’t that what every woman wants in a man?”

  “I’m not the Hawaiian Princess when I’m out of the ring.”

  Blue scrutinized his client once more, wondering how Ulani’s look could be any louder in the ring.

  Cross groupies off his list of potential mates for her.

  “Why don’t you guys head in?” Blue stepped aside and drew Ulani with him.

  The Joes didn’t do as Blue asked, not until they’d gotten Ulani’s autograph in permanent ink on their scrawny chests. They could permanently scratch getting any action tonight.

  Finally, Blue and Ulani made it inside the packed club. “Tell me if you see anyone you want to meet,” he shouted above the heart pounding music.

  “Don’t ask me that. It’s embarrassing.” Ulani was suddenly shy, staring at her big feet in sturdy black leather heels.

  People moved on the dance floor in a convulsing herd.

  Blue spotted a couple of Flash basketball players. “How about someone tall? A professional athlete like yourself?”

  Ulani shook her head, sending her hair whipping out to the side. One long beaded lock caught an innocent bystander in the eye.

  “Hey!” The victim scowled at her.

  Ulani seemed to shrink.

  Blue dragged her over to the bar, messenger bag bouncing against his hip. The music was so loud, Mr. Jiggles was probably going deaf.

  They passed a group of rappers in a corner.

  “How about a rap star?”

  “I can’t stand the way they dress.”

  “Right.” Baggy clothes that covered their bodies – such poor taste.

  Ulani’s dress was so tight that when she stood up straight the thin fabric lost the fight with her outtie belly button.

  “How about those guys over there?” Blue pointed to where the studio execs hung out with their ties off and their shirts barely unbuttoned.

  Ulani chewed on her lip and shook her head. “Suits.” As if that explained everything.

  “What can I get you?” The bartender shouted.

  The number of a good male escort service?

  “Two shots of top shelf cognac.”

  “I don’t drink,” Ulani protested.

  “Then I’ll have a double.” Blue was going to need that times two anyway if he wanted to get through this night of relationship counseling. How could he prep Ulani on how to behave if she wasn’t interested in anyone? “Do you see a guy you want to meet? Anyone that looks interesting? Anyone?” He went out on a limb. “Maybe a woman…?”

  Ulani snatched a shot glass as soon as the bartender put the pair on the counter and tossed it back like it was Kool-Aid. Then she reached for the second glass.

  By the time Blue ordered another round Ulani was gyrating to the music. She had no rhythm. With all the eye rolls and laughter she was generating Blue was starting to feel as if he’d made a huge error.

  He grabbed Ulani by both arms, stilling her. “You need to be open to new people. Don’t judge based on looks or occupation.”

  She nodded, running a hand through his hair.

  Every hair on his body stood up in united, violated protest.

  Fighting panic, Blue snagged one of the second round of shots, and paid the bartender just as the D.J. spun the hottest new song in the nation.

  “Dance with me.” She wasn’t asking. Ulani practically tossed Blue onto the floor.

  Out of the corner of his eye, Blue saw Jenny laugh amidst a sea of blonds and an island of spiked red hair.

  Damn it, Cora.

  Like he needed the Avengers here now. So much for Kaya’s promise that the pranks would end.

  He tried to maneuver all that tall purpleness away from his exes. Blue had good moves, but Ulani was a dirty dancer, which required Blue to remain still while she rubbed and vibrated her body against his. Caught between a client and the Avengers, Blue’s entire body heated – not because he was turned on. Far from it – he was horrified.

  Blue spun away and clutched his messenger bag, trying to protect Mr. Jiggles.

  There was a small possibility that Ulani’s dream date was watching and showing some interest. Blue needed to keep his eyes open and not look like he’d rather be somewhere else.

  Except the guys watching had their tongues hanging out, in a way Blue recognized: fresh pussy.

  He wasn’t going to pass Ulani off for a one-nighter, even if it meant he’d be saved.

  Ulani was paying good money to fall in love. Blue was going to make sure she did. All he had to do was find the right guy. The Sky Bar was filled with wealthy, successful men looking for the same thing Ulani was – they just didn’t want to admit it.

  Kaya appeared in front of Blue with her cell phone aimed his way. He saw her shiny red lips mouth a word: smile.

  Ulani spun Blue around unexpectedly, sending the messenger bag in a wide arc and banging into dancers around them. The plastic framed cage inside the special dog carrier cracked. Mr. Jiggles yipped. Blue didn’t blame him.

  He clutched the bag, grabbed Ulani and ran for the restrooms.

  Damn it. He’d thought the reality show would at least have gotten the Avengers to back off. Kaya had promised.

  Wait until he told Cora how insanely bad her most recent attempt at being his life coach had failed.

  “Wait for me here,” he told Ulani before disappearing into the men’s room. Once inside, Blue threw open the bag’s flap, released the latch on the cage, and drew the trembling poodle out.

  Mr. Jiggles growled weakly.

  “Yeah, sorry, buddy. It took me by surprise, too.”

  “You hate me,” Ulani said when Blue had calmed Mr. Jiggles down enough to return him to the messenger bag, and show his face in the hall. Purple tears streaked her cheeks.

  “I don’t hate you.” He kept an eye out for the Avengers.

  She gazed down at Blue with a clear, aching need for affection. Sometimes Blue caught Mr. Jiggles looking at him that way, when he wasn’t attacking his feet or pretending some random pillow was mating material.

  “Ulani, you’re a strong, beautiful woman with a lot to offer a man.” Ulani’s smile widened so Blue rushed on. “But as your relationship coach, we have to operate platonically.”

  Ulani wilted.

  “I need you to be honest with me. What kind of man are you looking for? When you envision your marriage, what do you see?”

  “Someone who loves me. For me.” Ulani slumped against the wall. “I’ve seen what wrestling does to bodies. Ten, fifteen years from now I
’m going to walk like I’m sixty. If a man only likes my looks he won’t stay with me.”

  Blue had never projected relationships that far in the future. Maddy probably had. Hell, Maddy’s looks would only improve with age, softening, while the anorexic women in Hollywood would fight pruning with the latest Botox-firming solution and knife procedures until their faces were unrecognizable.

  “You want me to create some physical ideal of a man, but I can’t see him that way, just like I wouldn’t want the man who falls in love with me to be looking for a tall woman with dark hair.”

  Ulani wasn’t like the Avengers. She didn’t judge a potential mate by his profession, his reputation, or even his looks. She wasn’t looking for someone to further his career. She wanted the real fairy tale – someone who’d see who she was inside.

  Shit. This was going to be harder than Blue thought.

  “What are you doing here?” Blue demanded upon seeing Maddy leaning against Gemma’s desk Wednesday morning.

  Once again, she wore blue jeans, this time topped with a scoop necked yellow T-shirt that got an A+ in outlining her curves. Her smile said please: Please do whatever I ask.

  Blue tamped down the urge to please her with a one-two combo – a kiss and a smile. Instead, he lifted Mr. Jiggles out of his new briefcase carrier and set him on the floor.

  “I need to get some atmosphere and filler film.” Maddy’s smile didn’t dim. If anything, the please-beacon shone brighter. “I thought I’d follow you around.”

  “Like I have a say in the matter.” Although, if everything worked out, none of Maddy’s film would see a television screen. After Cora’s decidedly brilliant lead, he’d put in a call last night to a friend of his at Plump Bird Studios. Blue scanned through the text messages on his phone, which had been swarming in while he was driving.

  Nice dance moves.

  That is one statement-making chick.

  Can I have her number when you’re done?

  There were at least twenty text messages all along the same lines. He hadn’t recognized that many people at the club last night. At least not that many who had his cell number.